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Sweet Potato Casserole

This isn’t your Momma’s sweet potato casserole! It’s a colorful twist that will surprise your Thanksgiving diners. It’s purple! Purple sweet potatoes, or Okinawan Sweet potatoes, are prized for their high content of antioxidants. They actually contain 150% more antioxidants than blueberries! These antioxidants help to fight cancer, heart disease, are major anti-agers, and are even good for your cholesterol! There isn’t much else on the Thanksgiving table that can do all that.

They act just like a regular sweet potato, so if you have a favorite recipe just substitute the traditional for the purple. I found that they weren’t quite as sweet, so you might want to add a bit more brown sugar, but as always, taste as you go!

Enough about the potatoes, lets get to the marshmallows! Try something different for that too! I made a marshmallow cream, piped it on top of the casserole and then used a kitchen torch to toast the top. The result?! Just as tasty as the traditional marshmallows, but a beautiful and sophisticated look that the purple potato deserves! And don’t worry if you don’t have a kitchen torch. Just turn your oven to broil and keep a close eye on the cream. It will burn before you know it!

The purple sweet potato looks pretty normal from the outside… right?!

After baking the potatoes, peel the skin off and toss in a mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients and mix till smooth.

Smooth the potatoes into ramekins or a casserole dish and bake.

In the meantime, let’s work on the marshmallow cream. Heat the sugar mixture to firm ball stage, and slowly pour it into the whipped egg whites.

Transfer the cooled marshmallow cream into a pastry bag and pipe onto the baked casseroles. Toast the tops with a kitchen torch or broiler and sprinkle on some toasted or candied pecans!

Purple Sweet Potato Casserole

2 1/2 lbs purple sweet potatoes (3 medium sized)

2 eggs

3 tbsp butter, melted

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

“You can substitute pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg if you don’t have them.”

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork and bake them for about 40 minutes, or till soft.

Peel the skins off the potatoes and place in a mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes then add the rest of the ingredients.

Whip till smooth with an electric mixer, then scoop the potatoes into buttered ramekins or a casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and slightly puffed.

Marshmallow Cream

6 tbsp water

1 1/4 cup light corn syrup

3/4 cup sugar + 1 tbsp, separated

4 egg whites

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

2 tbsp vanilla extract

“Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pot to monitor the temperature.”

In a small saucepan, bring the water, corn syrup, and 3/4 cup sugar to 245 degrees (firm ball stage).

In the meantime, in a dry mixing bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt and cream of tartar till frothy.

When the syrup reaches 245 degrees, slowly drizzle it into the egg whites while mixing. The whites will deflate slightly. Continue to whip about 5 more minutes. It will start to fluff back up as it cools.

Turn the mixer speed down and add in the vanilla.

Transfer the cream into a pastry bag and pipe onto the casseroles.

Using a kitchen torch, toast the marshmallow cream to your desired doneness and sprinkle on some toasted or candies pecans.